Various sulfoxide compounds are known in the art as detergent surfactants, as evidenced by the following references.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,787,595, Webb, issued Apr. 2, 1957, discloses sulfoxides of the formula RSOR.sup.1, where R is methyl or ethyl and R.sup.1 is a C.sub.9 -C.sub.22 (preferably C.sub.10 -C.sub.12) alkyl group, as detergent surfactants which are said to clean synergistically when combined with other surfactants.
French Pat. No. 1,557,063, Lyness, issued Feb. 14, 1969, describes alkylethoxylate sulfoxides as detergent surfactants especially effective in cold water. The C.sub.10 -C.sub.14 alkyl methyl sulfoxides containing about 3 ethylene oxide groups are said to be the preferred cold water surfactants.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,288,859, Lyness, et al., issued Nov. 29, 1966, describes gamma-hydroxyalkyl methyl sulfoxides as excellent cool water (60.degree.-90.degree. F.) surfactants. Detergent compositions also containing conventional builders and other detergent adjunct materials, including anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic or cationic surfactants, are described.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,290,254, Anderson, issued Dec. 6, 1966, discloses methyl-beta-hydroxydodecyl sulfoxide as a detergent surfactant.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,678, Laughlin et al., issued Dec. 30, 1975, discloses ethoxylated zwitterionic compounds having improved particulate soil removal capability. The compounds are combined with organic cosurfactants, which can include various sulfoxides as a nonionic surfactant.
In addition, Trost, et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 98, 4887 (1976), describe the preparation of ethyl alpha-methylsulfinyl decanoate for use as an intermediate in the synthesis of alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The unsaturated compounds are themselves useful in the synthesis of other compounds, including pheromones of the honey bee.
The above patents and publications are incorporated herein by reference.